The Rights of Sentience constituted a provision within the Galactic Constitution. This clause explicitly denounced speciesism, standing against it, and delineated the fundamental rights guaranteed to every member of the Galactic Republic, encompassing the following:
- Slavery was formally prohibited.
- A declaration establishing that all sentient beings possessed equal status and were to be treated accordingly.
- Every citizen of the Republic was granted all rights secured by the Constitution, including the right to vote, protection from unwarranted suffering, and so on.
At the time of the Constitution's creation in 25,053 BBY, the Rights of Sentience stood out as one of its most revolutionary components. Nevertheless, throughout the Republic's existence, upholding these Rights proved to be a considerable challenge, particularly in its remote territories. Under the New Order, the Rights were superseded by Human High Culture, though they technically remained in effect. The Rebel Alliance continued to uphold the Rights of Sentience in opposition to the Galactic Empire, and they were reinstated when the New Republic Common Charter was formulated. It is likely that Senate Resolution 54.325 played a role in reinforcing the law. Following Admiral Daala's undermining of Human High Culture, it is reasonable to assume that the Rights were incorporated into the Imperial Charter.
The method employed by the Galactic Republic to ascertain which species qualified as sentient remains unknown. This ambiguity presented difficulties for the droid rights movement, as the sentience of droids was largely questionable.